Call it class warfare, call it deregulation, or call it trickle down obstructionism… Make no mistake; this is about corporations eliminating hurdles to exploit Americans. As I begin, I think of the people of the Occupy Wall street movement, I think of all hard working people who have made this country great. I think of my Grandfathers struggle to bring the union to the coal mines of West Virginia. I hope and pray they accept me as one of their own and allow me to stand with them. GOD Bless You All.
I expected union representation and only received hypocrisy… For ten years I have been trying to expose the SEIU local 1 Chicago Union for what I believe is fraud and corruption. I am attaching a copy of a SEIU Local 1 grievance form dated 15 May, 2002...Which I filed with the SEIU Union. I have marked this as ( exhibit A ) for your reference. The grievance written by union business agent John Zarris, states I have been required to work above my classification without being paid per the union contract, a contract which was agreed to between my employer, “Mid America management corps” and my union “SEIU local 1 Chicago”.
The complaint of the grievance was my employer required me to accept a 24 hour 7 days a week emergency call, required to respond within 20 minutes of page. Please note; being in a Required Emergency call situation is NOT in the job description of my (Helper- A) classification as defined in the union contract.
After a six month wait, On 18 November, 2002 at my place of employment, I received a fax letter from SEIU local 1 union representative John Zarris. I am attaching a copy of this fax letter dated November 18, 2002. I have marked this as ( exhibit B ) for your reference...
The Fax from the SEIU 1 union representative John Zarris clearly states the union’s support of my grievance and also states “should I have any problems with my employer regarding these matters, please call”. I was immediately terminated upon my supervisors receiving this notification, and the SEIU local 1 union DID NOTHING to secure my job. It took Local 1 union rep John Zarris more than a week to return my many attempts and messages concerning my termination. On the phone with Union rep. John Zarris, I can’t explain my feeling when Mr. Zarris said “he was sorry for my termination, but there is nothing he can do to help me”. In shock, I said “that’s it! What am I supposed to do”, Mr. Zarris replied “Get yourself a good attorney” and ended the call. The SEIU local 1 Chicago refused any further contact with me.
I took the advice of union Rep. John Zarris and hired a Mr. Gary Abrams of Abrams and associate law offices, in downtown Chicago. After much money and many years later attorney Abrams informed me, I DO NOT have a case because I DID NOT have a written agreement with “Mid America management corps”. Concerning my work responsibilities. I questioned attorney Abrams, “isn’t the union contract a written agreement”? Attorney Abrams informed me public policy takes precedent over the union contract, the level of proof needed, just wasn’t there, it’s a very complicated system” he said.
The attached grievance form and subsequent letter of support from the SEIU 1 union Chicago speaks volumes by their self’s. I did nothing wrong, I filed a legitimate grievance; SEIU agreed with me, my employer had done wrong. In the end I was terminated for filing this grievance, my termination was nothing more than outright blatant cold hearted retaliation by Mid America management corp.
As for SEIU Chicago, they ran and hid. If the SEIU Chicago union won’t stand up and protect a dues paying member who the union knows to be in the right, then the question must be ask, Just who is the union protecting. During most of my eleven years of employment with Mid America management corp. the president of the company sat on the board of trustees Of the Chicago SEIU local 1 union. I believe this is a conflict of interests and speaks right at one of the big issue of our time, corporate power and influence, greed, fraud, corruption. I am speechless; this is not the union my Grandfather envisioned so many years ago. This is not the kind of union the members of SEIU local 1 union deserve.
I stand with any labor union that supports its members and works for equality and justice for all people. SEIU Local 1 Chicago only supports its own interests. They didn't protect me, so who do they protect? I worked many years in apartment building maintenance in the west burbs of Chicago. As a past local 1 union member, I can tell you first hand, when it came to the local 1 union supporting me when I needed them, THEY DID NOTHING. I filed and won my grievance with the union. My employer Mid America Management Corp. terminated me the same day I won my grievance. The SEIU #1 did nothing. . I feel I must do something to stop what I believe is criminal action. I wish the people responsible flushed out and dealt with in accordance with the laws of the United States of America. We as people must besiege fraud and Corruption and destroy it anywhere it is found and we must do this for each other. Over the years I have made countless attempts to bring this to the attention of the proper authorities, but either no one is listening or no one cares. I believe where there is smoke there is fire, I believe my situation is the smoke that marks a big fire of fraud and corruption in the SEIU Chicago union that needs extinguished in the worst way. Corporations of corruption have been putting good hard working union members and non-union members out of work for a long time; I have been shouting this since 2002 at the top of my voice. Please see; facebook.com/notgrandfathersunion check out the grievance and subsequent letter of support from SEIU local 1 Chicago that got me immediately terminated from my job of 11 years... please sign the petition on the page. www.signon.org/s/JWOgUX
SEIU local 1 allowed corporate power and influence to reverse the outcome of an already decided and documented grievance. If any corporation is able to affect the final outcome of a labor grievance in this way, then collective bargaining is only an illusion.
I hope my union brothers and sisters of the past understand this is not an attack on them or the precept of the union. I believe I am due clarification, I believe we are all due clarification, if for no other reason than ensure it never happens to anyone again.
Please stand with me and demand answers.
God Bless America
Thank You
Michael D Daugherty